518 pages, 6 unnumbered pages ; 24 cm

Manuscript

Title from binder's title on spine and note at front of text

Manuscript consisting of a variety of poetical works, including lengthy poems, sonnets, quatrains, epigrams, odes, madrigals, epistles, epitaphs, fables; attribution is given in many cases; the works date chiefly from the 17th and early 18th centuries, with some representation from the 16th century

The collection is documented as having been assembled and owned by "la marquise Du Chastellet" in a contemporary manuscript annotation on verso of blank leaf preceding the text, reading: Ce recueil a appartenu à la célèbre Émilie de Voltaire, la marquise Du Chastellet; (c'est ainsi que ce nom doit être écrit.) Il a été indubitablement formé sous ses yeux, et d'après sa direction ... La marquise a écrit elle même la table. Le petit nombre de notes autographes qu'elle a mise en marge de quelques morceaux ajoute à l'intérêt que le recueil mérite par lui même ... Le manuscrit est paginé de la main de Mde. du Chastellet depuis le feuillet 292. Elle même a supprimé les feuillets 511 et 513, en ajoutant de sa main les quatre derniers vers du Procès du fard, et les trois premiers de l'Eglogue de Daphnis et Palomon

Authors featured in the anthology include Jean-Baptiste Rousseau, La Fontaine, Étienne Pavillon, Grécourt; among other authors included are Marot, Benserade, François de Malherbe, Racan, Chapelle, Racine, St. Euremont, La Motte, Regnier, La Monnoye

Part of the J. Patrick Lee Voltaire Collection, acquired by the Library in 2013: item number 2417; armorial bookplate on front pastedown: E libris Roberti Marchionis de Crewe

The works published in various collections

Table, on the 6 unnumbered pages at end, does not include entries for titles after page 230; according to the Table, Grécourt's "Philotanus" begins on page 230, but it actually appears on pages 202-239; leaf for pages 201-202 has been replaced and the following pages are crudely numbered, apparently originally numbered from 231; the listing for what was originally on pages following 202 up to page 230 has been crossed through, appearing to have been poetry by Voltaire

Manuscript copied by several persons, the first scribe writing in a beautiful hand, the final one less clearly, the contribution of Du Châtelet in the Table not excessively neat; many corrections throughout (words crossed out, some replaced) and in some cases the text is deliberately obliterated by inked loops (see pages 177-179, 248, 303-304, 329-331, 341-343, 387-388, 395-402, 504)

Pages numbered by hand as found in manuscript; occasional vestiges indicate an earlier numbering on shaved leaves with the pages renumbered; between pages 203 and 262 the numbers tend to be messy (see above note on Table); pagination irregularities: 263-291 omitted in numbering, 2 leaves (pages 511-514) cut out (lost text completing text on page 510 and beginning text continued on page 515 supplied in hand of Du Châtelet, as noted above); pages 19-20, 362-364, 372-373 blank, and verso of page 239 blank and also omitted in numbering

Accompanied by printed small exhibition plaque describing the manuscript, including the beginning of the note preceding text

Contemporary calf, rebacked; spine with 5 raised bands, in one compartment original leather label lettered and bordered in gilt with binder's title "Recueil de poésies" in one compartment and leather pieces richly ornamented in gilt from original spine onlaid in 4 other compartments, the one at the head partly missing; gilt roll on board edges and on turn-ins, marbled endpapers; stained red edges

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